


Protocol: Sombra

by kimiko624



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adult Content, Canon-Typical Violence, Comfort/Angst, Death, Developing Relationship, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gradual Romance, Gun Violence, Mild Language, Multiple Protagonists, Non-Explicit Sex, Omnic Racism, POV Third Person, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Robot/Human Relationships, Romance, Slow Burn, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-08-18 10:41:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8159254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimiko624/pseuds/kimiko624
Summary: Three women. Two organizations. One big problem.When all omnics start turning aggressive out of the blue, Overwatch is officially reinstated to deal with the crisis. Now they must work together with enemy organization Talon to stop the world from ripping itself apart. Only, when two enemies are forced to work together, tensions rise, and things don't go smoothly. Can three women help them overcome their obstacles and work together before it's too late?





	1. Welcome to Overwatch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delly arrives at her new job at Overwatch, but not everything is what she thought it would be.

It had been six months since the omnics had lost control and Overwatch had been reinstated. As Delilah Collins sat in the airport waiting for her escort she wondered -- not for the first time -- whether or not this was a good thing. Not the omnics rebelling, of course that was a bad thing, but the return of Overwatch had caused uproar all over the world. Personally she hoped that they would be able to do something about this mess, which was why when she'd received the invitation to join them she'd accepted and ended up all the way here in the US. Though she had to admit, she had her doubts. There was more to all of this, she knew it, and she wasn't sure that Overwatch repeatedly headbutting the problem would solve it.

With a small shiver she crossed her legs, feeling oddly cold despite being indoors. Despite the fact that she distinctly remembered shaving, she could feel the hairs on her legs prickle under her jeans. The fabric wasn’t cold to the touch, but for some reason her legs felt like she was wearing ice for trousers. She opened up her duffel bag and pulled out a scarf and gloves, hoping they would help the icy feeling. A few people gave her an odd look, which made sense considering she was getting rugged up in the middle of summer.

“Cold?”

At the voice she looked up. A man stood in front of her, looking amused. He wore a black uniform with the overwatch emblem over his heart, and had a rifle strapped to his back. Delilah noticed how people kept a distance from him as they walked by, though he didn’t seem to notice. That or he simply didn’t care. In all fairness to them, her instinct upon seeing a man with a rifle would be something similar.

“The air conditioning is too high in here,” Delilah said, standing up and slinging her duffel bag over her shoulder. “You must be my escort.”

The man nodded, still smirking at her. “Sergeant James Morrison, at your service. You must be Miss Collins. Allow me to carry your bag for you.”

Delilah narrowed her gaze at him. “I can carry my own bag, thanks. And call me Delly. My family isn’t big on formalities.”

Morrison didn’t seem fazed by her rejection of his offer, simply nodding and turning to walk away with a gesture for her to follow. Delly walked after him, the weight on her shoulder making her almost wish that she’d accepted his offer.

Through the automatic doors Delly was hit with a blast of humidity, making her cool skin tingle with the sudden change in temperature. Within a few steps she was already removing her scarf and gloves and shoving them back into her bag, much to the amusement of her guide. Delly hadn’t been to California since she was very young, and after spending all of her life in the UK she wasn’t used to the heat at all. Suddenly she understood why every image of Californians showed them walking around with next to nothing on. Any more layers and you melted in the heat.

Morrison escorted her to a black car with tinted windows that was waiting for them in the pickup bay. He opened the back-seat door for her and smiled, gesturing for her to hop in. Delly hesitated slightly, but slid onto the leather back seat. The car was pristine, with smooth leather seats and lots of leg room in the back, and the whole thing smelt like a new car. It was certainly the fanciest thing she’d ever travelled in.

Morrison swung in on the other side, bringing his rifle around to rest on his lap. It took him a moment to notice the look he was getting from Delly at the fact that the barrel was pointed at her, but he smiled and flipped the gun over.

“If you’re going to be a part of Overwatch, you’re going to have to trust people not to shoot you,” said Morrison, looking out the window as the car began to move.

Delly jumped a little in surprise. There was a divider between them and the driver, so she hadn’t even considered who was driving. “I thought that people getting shot was the reason Overwatch came back in the first place?”

Morrison snickered. “Well, you’re not wrong.”

The two rode in silence for a while. The car headed out of Los Angeles and along the coastline. Delly watched the ocean go by for a long time before she looked back at Morrison. He was young, not much older than she was, with yellow blonde hair and soft blue eyes. She could have sworn she’d seen him somewhere before.

“So, Morrison? Any relation to Commander Jack Morrison?” Delly asked.

Morrison raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t seem surprised that she’d heard of Jack Morrison. He obviously knew who her parents were. “He’s my uncle. He and my dad were brothers,” he told her. “They both died in the Swiss HQ incident.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Delly said, feeling suddenly guilty that she’d brought it up. “Funny that history is so quick to remember people like Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes but forgets that they weren’t the only ones who died that day.”

Morrison looked at her for a few seconds, and just as she was about to ask why he nodded and looked away. Delly didn’t say anything more on the subject. It obviously wasn’t a pleasant one for either of them.

“What about your parents?” he asked her after a time. “They were part of Overwatch too, right?”

Delly nodded. “They’re engineers; specialising in robotic technology. It’s thanks to them that they were able to shut down the violent omnics.” She wasn’t sure why she always added that last bit. Perhaps she was better at bragging about her parents accomplishments than her own. “Fat lot of good it did.”

“We had thirty years of peace. I think that’s plenty of good,” Morrison said without hesitation, smiling at her. “We’ll bring the peace back. With your help.”

Delly looked back out the window without a comment. She wasn’t sure if she believed that. What good could she do against such an army?

Unlike her parents she hadn’t focused on engineering in her studies, much to their disappointment. She’d been far more interested in psychology and rehabilitation. Before she knew it, she’d become one of the world’s leading experts in rehabilitating those with robotic prosthetic s. She could modify and fix the parts, but engineering them was not her specialty, unlike her parents.

Why it was that Overwatch even wanted her in the first place was a mystery to her, but she’d agreed nonetheless. Perhaps it was more out of curiosity than any large desire to do the right thing. Though she supposed if she could help put omnics back in their place then it was worth whatever work they wanted her for.

 

A few hours passed before she saw the large building standing tall at the edge of the cliff, the white pillar standing out against the pure blue of the sky. You rarely saw skies that blue where she came from, so it was quite the sight. The Overwatch emblem was emblazoned on the side of the building, the whole place looking completely new. They must have just built it, she realised.

The car paused briefly at the gates, and she could see a man leaning out of the booth to talk to the driver. After a few moments the thick gates were opened and the car drove slowly inside. Delly watched as they drove past a large obstacle course with people in matching Overwatch gear running through it. A woman with long brown hair and a clipboard was watching them intensely. She looked like someone you didn’t want to mess with. Though that was probably a common archetype around here, Delly thought.

The car turned and went into an underground carpark, pulling into a marked space.

“Alright. We’re here,” Morrison said, opening his door and climbing out.

Delly did the same, stepping out into a greenly lit carpark filled with similar cars to the one she’d been in, as well as a few military looking vehicles. A few such vehicles had mounted guns on the top that she imagined would be quite fun to operate. “What’re the chances I get to use one of those?” she asked, pointing at the large gun.

Morrison chuckled when he saw what she was pointing at. “If you’re lucky? Never.”

Delly sighed and pouted slightly. “Buzzkill.”

“Come on, I’ll take you to the Captain,” Morrison said.

Delly followed him out of the carpark and back into the heat. She’d forgotten about it during her time in the air-conditioned comfort of the car and was sweating already, but her legs were appreciative of the movement. She’d never liked to stay still for very long. They walked across a large training yard and into the building she’d seen from down the road.

Inside they came into a reception area, complete with ambient music and decorative pot-plants. It wasn’t what Delly had expected from a military base, but she supposed she’d seen weirder things. She was told to wait so she sat herself down on a pristine white couch, finding herself hoping she didn’t dirty it despite being perfectly clean. After a few minutes Morrison came back from the desk with a card, handing it to her.

“This is your temporary keycard,” he told her. “We’ll get you a proper one once your clearance comes through. This will get you all the places you’ll need to go, however. Now you get to meet the Captain.”

Delly raised an eyebrow. “Who is the captain?”

“You’ll see. Come on. Let’s see how good your Overwatch knowledge is.” Morrison grinned and gestured for Delly to follow him once again. She was starting to feel a bit like a duckling with all the following she’d been doing. They took an elevator up to one of the top floors, and stepped out into another reception. This one was smaller, with a young dark-haired girl working at the desk. She looked up and smiled when she saw Morrison.

“James! You’re back!”

Delly didn’t miss the grin on Morrison’s face as he saw her. “I am. This is Delilah Collins. Here to see the cap.”

Even as he introduced her Morrison’s eyes didn’t stray from the receptionist. “That’s me. Call me Delly though.”

The receptionist smiled and nodded. “Captain Amari is expecting you.”

Delly blinked and shot a look at Morrison. “Amari? As in…?”

Morrison smiled at her then. “Come on.”

 

The two went into a hallway, Morrison knocking on the door at the end and waiting for permission before opening it. At the desk sat an older woman with brown skin and silver hair in a braid that came over her shoulder. She looked up as the two entered, and Delly saw a tattoo under the woman’s left eye that confirmed who she was.

“Ana Amari. I can’t believe it,” Delly said without thinking, bowing quickly when she realised her disrespect. “Sorry, ma’am. I’m Delilah. Delilah Collins. Delly to my friends.”

Delly felt her face going red, but Ana only chuckled in that grandmotherly way that older women did. It put Delly at ease a little.

“Don’t worry, child. Sit down. I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here,” Ana said, gesturing to the chair across the desk from her.

With a glance at Morrison, who stood at ease in the corner, Delly sat down in the chair. It was soft and comfortable and smelled homier compared to the rest of the place.

“Now, Delly, obviously you would have heard of the omnic situation by now. But what you wouldn’t have heard is that certain people with robotic implants are also being affected,” Ana told her, taking her teabag out of her pink china teacup and placing it on the saucer underneath. “As you can imagine, this has put quite the strain on our forces, as many are enhanced with robotic parts.”

Delly listened, her gaze briefly wandering to the large windows behind Ana that looked out over the expanse of ocean. “What do you need me to do?” she asked, looking back at Ana.

Ana smiled kindly at her before reaching into her drawer and pulling out a file. Only when it was placed in front of her did Delly realise how thick it was. This was not going to be an easy task, whatever it was.

“I need you to travel the world to our different headquarters and visit each of the Overwatch personnel in this file. Evaluate them for risk, and send the report to our Commander. This is the task we wish of you,” Ana explained. She smiled gently at Delly. “Of course, the risk may be great. So we will not force your cooperation.”

Delly took a deep breath, staring at the file for a long moment before she brought it into her lap. She’d come this far, so she wouldn’t allow herself to be put off by a little danger. The whole world was dangerous right now, and it would only get worse if she didn’t do something to help. Though, she did have a thought then. “How am I supposed to protect myself? It’s a battlefield out there.”

Delly had some experience fighting, and her father had engineered a special weapon for her, but she still wasn’t confident about protecting herself against a horde of angry omnics. Ana smiled like she was glad that Delly had asked.

“We have assigned someone to train and guard you. He is also the one in greatest need of monitoring,” said Ana, looking almost sad at the last part. It made her wonder who this person might be.

“He’s waiting for us in the training room now,” Morrison said, careful not to interrupt too abruptly. “Ma’am.”

Ana nodded. “I’ve kept you both long enough. I do hope you’ll stay with us, Delly. Your talents are needed now more than ever.”

Delly didn’t say anything to that. She didn’t want to make promises she couldn’t keep. But for now she would do what she could to help these people. That was her job, whether she was a part of Overwatch or not.

After they left Ana’s office, Morrison walked her back to the elevator and they headed down to the basement level.

“What is Ana Amari doing here?” Delly asked whilst they were in the elevator. “From my parents stories she never seemed like the type to stay out of the action and sit behind a desk.”

Morrison smiled slightly. “She knows that the training here is just as important as the fight. I don’t think it’s what she wants, but it’s what’s needed right now. The needs of the many outweigh the desires of the few.”

Delly snorted. “The Overwatch motto?”

Morrison chuckled, but didn’t say anything the rest of the way down. The doors opened up to a fluorescently lit hallway, lined with doors and observation windows. As they passed, Delly could see people training within. They all wore the same Overwatch uniform and sparred with a whole variety of different weapons. Along the way were several shooting ranges as well, with people practicing with many different guns. The walls must be well soundproofed, Delly thought, because she couldn’t hear a single gunshot.

“They use lasers to mark where their shots hit,” Morrison said suddenly as if he could read her mind. “So that they don’t waste resources, and they have no chance of hurting anyone.”

Something told Delly that she would never stop being surprised by this place.

Eventually they came to a halt outside a door with no window beside it, which made Delly curious.

“A broom closet? Isn’t our friendship in too early a stage to start making out?” Delly commented, earning herself a bemused look from Morrison.

“You just spout sass like nobody’s business, don’t you?” He didn’t wait for her to respond, instead opening the door.

Inside was a large training room, and sitting cross legged in the centre was the person she assumed would be her guard. Delly stiffened at the sight of him. She didn’t have to go near him to know that the robotics that covered the man’s body was not a suit. That was what he was made of. Primarily, if not entirely.

The man got to his feet and bowed to her, his face completely covered by a metal angular mask. “Greetings,” he said, his voice Japanese and robotic.

Furious, Delly swung around to look at Morrison. “Oh _hell_ no!!”


	2. Don't Fear the Reaper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve gets her usual guest, and informs him of the politics happening with Talon and Overwatch.

For what felt like the hundredth time, Eve looked up at the clock. Again, as with every time she had, she felt her irritation rise and a sick feeling churned in her stomach. To try and distract herself, she looked over her tools again. She ran her fingers over the syringes in her case, each one swirling with a dark purple substance. It looked like liquid, but it was actually made up of billions of tiny nano-particles all moving about inside the container. It was invention that brought a bittersweet feeling for Eve. While yes, it had kept her young all these years, her part in its creation had been overshadowed by that blonde Swiss bimbo. That woman batted her eyelashes and suddenly everyone was so quick to forget that Eve had had just as much hand in its creation. It was disgusting.

People who had once called her a friend now looked at her like she was vile, not knowing all the while what it was that their precious little ‘Mercy’ had done. If they knew the truth, the little angel would come crashing down from that cloud they put her on, and Eve would be waiting below to gloat.

The thought amused her for a time, creating pictures in her mind of Zeigler crying after being tossed aside by those who had revered her. Then she would know the pain she had caused. She might even try to help, but it would be all too late. The damage was done, and the lines were drawn.

Eve felt a prickling sensation go through her. Her heart picked up its pace, and she smiled a little. She didn’t need to turn around to know that he was here.

“You’re late,” she said, not looking away from her tools.

Her comment was rewarded with a husky snigger from across the room, and she heard the soft shuffling of movement as he came towards her. “We doing this or what?” said the dark voice, the usual impatient tone behind it.

Eve turned to face him as he advanced on her. As usual he was covered from head to toe in his black outfit, with a white mask covering his face. She could never decide whether it was meant to be an owl or a skull. To most his appearance was intimidating; then again, to most he was known as ‘Reaper’. To her, however, he would always be Gabriel.

“Well? Strip down then if you’re so impatient!” said Eve, trying not to grin.

There was a sound of annoyance from behind the mask. It was that little growl he always did when she told him what to do. But it wasn’t like he had a choice with this. Reluctantly he moved over to the examination table, pulling off his hood and his mask. Eve readied her tools, but couldn’t help glancing over as the man undressed.

His skin was no longer the dark tan it had been when they’d met. It was sickly pale, and riddled with scars where it hadn’t knitted back together properly during the resurrection. There were parts of him that hadn’t come back properly at all, and she’d had to use cybernetics to put him back together. A large chuck of the man’s torso was made up of black cybernetics, as well as one of his hands and a leg. It also extended to his face -- part of his neck and reaching up to his right eye -- which glowed slightly red with the cybernetics. He’d kept most of his hair, though it had fallen out in places and what was left was limp and dull in colour.

Even after all these years, it still hurt to see him like this. But as he turned to look at her, dressed now in only a pair of black tight shorts, his remaining eye still the same as that of the man she’d known all those years ago. Once again she was reminded that this was still Gabriel Reyes. He would always be that man to her, no matter how much of the original person was left.

Eve brought her equipment over as Gabriel sat down on the table, his hands clasped between his knees. As usual, he didn’t look at the needle as she brought it up. The process was always just as excruciating as the last time, and as much as she wished she could, there was nothing she could do to ease his pain.

Eve didn’t ask if he was ready before she stuck the needle into one of his larger scars on his back, injecting the particles into him. Gabriel cried out, cursing loudly in Spanish as his face scrunched up in pain. Eve stepped back slightly, giving him space as she set the empty syringe down and grabbed the second one. Unfortunately the process required the nano-particles to be introduced to his system within quick succession, so she couldn’t give him a moment to rest. The next needle went into his side, where there was another scar that was larger than last she’d seen it. She clucked her tongue in annoyance. He should have come to her sooner.

As much as she would have loved to berate him then, it wasn’t the time. Once the particles had finished their work and made their way out of his system, then they could talk.

Eve finished up her work with the particles and helped him move back to lie down on the table. He didn’t fight her help, and probably couldn’t even if he wanted to. Right now he was in an excruciating amount of pain. One would think it might not be worth it, but at the same time these treatments were the only thing keeping him alive.

Eve watched as the particles moved through the places she’d injected them, making his pale skin glow purple as they shifted beneath the surface. The particles were repairing all the tissue and skin that was falling apart. It was an ugly side-effect of the rushed resurrection that Mercy had performed on him and Jack Morrison. As far as she knew Morrison was coping physically, but mentally she wasn’t so sure. There were a lot of mixed reports about this ‘Soldier 76’ persona that he’d become. It seemed more than unfair to her that Gabriel had gotten the rotten end of that deal. It wasn’t like the incident as Swiss HQ was his fault. Not that anyone had believed her when she’d tried to plead as such. Now she was the only thing keeping him alive.

It was over an hour before the glowing faded, and Gabriel’s eyes opened again. He struggled to sit up, but waved down her attempt to help him. She, of course, swatted his hand away and helped him anyway, to which he didn’t put up a further fight.

“How are you feeling?” Eve asked.

“Like hell, Doc,” Gabriel growled.

Despite his tone, she knew it wasn’t her that he was cross with. She disposed of the syringes and brought out her more mechanical tools. At least the next process was easier on him. All she needed to do was make sure that his cybernetics were working properly. Then he would take off again, as he always did.

As she set to work, there was silence between them for a time. Then Gabriel spoke.

“Let’s hear it, doc.”

Of course, she thought. Gabriel often used their time to catch up on the politics happening within Talon and with Overwatch, now that it was officially reinstated. He spent a lot of time in the field, hunting the old members of Overwatch. Not many had returned to Overwatch when the recall occurred. Only the most dedicated members returned to service, whilst many of their ranks were now filled with new recruits. There was no shortage of people who wanted to stop the omnics. A part of Eve wanted to re-join the fight, not for Overwatch, but for herself. She couldn’t, though. Not after everything that had happened. Her place was with Talon now. Although from what she’d been hearing, that might not be a problem much longer.

“You’re not going to like it,” Eve said with a sigh.

“I never like it.”

He had a point there, she mused. “Many of the ex-Overwatch agents are returning. More each day. Most I thought were already dead, like Ana… and Morrison.”

Eve felt Gabriel tense all over at the mere mention of the name. His hatred for the man ran deeper than even she could fully understand. It was because of this that she’d held off telling him for so long. Though she knew he probably had his suspicions already.

Gabriel muttered something in Spanish and motioned for her to continue.

“More and more omnics are turning. Even some people with cybernetics are experiencing difficulties.”

He shot her a look.

“Yours will be fine. I’ve modified them. But many others have been taken over. It’s a mess, and Overwatch is doing nothing but building themselves new fancy HQs and training children to fight for them. They don’t stand a chance,” Eve said, making sure to finish the most important parts of her work before she told him the last bit. “Though you should know, there have been talks… of Overwatch joining forces with Talon.”

There was a loud metallic crack, and Eve looked down to find that Gabriel’s hands had bent the side of her table. “WHAT?!” he snapped, suddenly on his feet and whirling around to look at her. His eyes were filled with fury, and an undying wound that could never heal.

“It’s not my decision. Obviously. But Talon is far more capable,” Eve stated firmly, trying to get Gabriel to sit back down. He resisted, still flush with anger, but a stern look from Eve guided him back to the table. “This threat will destroy us all. How are you supposed to kill Overwatch and get your revenge if they’re killed by omnics?”

Gabriel snorted derisively, but he didn’t object to her words. As much as the idea probably repulsed him, there really was no choice any more. Talon couldn’t operate without a world to operate in.

“I’m sure they have a plan, Gabriel. Talon always has a plan,” Eve told him, finishing up her work on his shoulder and starting to put away her tools.

It wasn’t like Talon did anything without an ulterior motive. If they were going to pair up with Overwatch, there was a good reason behind it. One didn’t simply call a truce with their enemy out of the blue. At least, Talon didn’t.

Eve went to her computer and took a seat in the tall-backed chair, putting an entry into Gabriel’s file about the results of his treatment. The nano-particles had worked as well as ever, with his scarring now minimal, and his cybernetics were performing as designed. All in all he was healthy considering he was thirty years dead.

Gabriel pulled his pants back on before coming over and spinning the chair to face him. He placed his hands on the arm-rests and leant down close to her, looking her in the eyes. Eve glanced at the hair on the man’s chest, trailing all the way down and disappearing above his unbuckled belt. Her eyes went back to his, keeping herself from any change in her breath. If he knew what she was thinking for even a second he would never get close to her anymore.

“What about you? Do you have a plan?” he said after a moment, his voice a deep growl.

Eve smirked slyly at him, leaning back in her chair without breaking eye contact with him.

“Of course, my dear. I always have a plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meet Eve, character 2 of 3. As you can see she will be telling things from Talon's side. There's a lot more to her past than people know. Stay tuned!


	3. Terms of Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freja receives a troubling mission in the wake of talks between Overwatch and Talon

Freja sat patiently as she waited for her mother to return. The light of the setting sun warmed her skin. It wouldn’t be long now before it was dark, and it would be dangerous for her mother to fly. She was bringing news of the talks with Talon, and it had Freja nervous. If those terrorists did anything to her mother, there was no way that her mueti would ever stand for it. An alliance would be off, and at this point that could cost them everything. For a moment she fiddled with her braid, the thick blonde plait falling over her shoulder and stretching to her lap. Quickly she placed her hands back on her knees, as such fidgeting was unbecoming. She had not only one, but two parent’s reputations to live up to. Even though they did their best not to put weight on her shoulders, and she loved them for that, she wanted to make them proud. If she was ever going to do that, she needed to be in control of all of her impulses. There was to be no fidgeting.

Freja perked up when she heard the familiar sound of jets above, and looked up to see her mother coming in to land. The sunlight glinted off of her armour as she descended, lighting up her dark silhouette. As she landed, Freja lit up and ran towards her, throwing her arms around the woman despite her mech-suit, giving her only just enough time to take her helmet off. “Welcome back, mum!”

She heard her mother chuckle and hug her back. “Hello, child. I wish we could talk more, but I need to see your other mother.”

Freja nodded and pulled back, internally scolding herself for delaying her mother’s business. “Of course. She’s in her office, as usual.”

Her mother smiled and patted Freja’s shoulder, striding past her towards the main building. Overwatch HQ was a massive place, and the building her mother’s office was in was the biggest of all and directly in the centre. After all, she was the Commander of Overwatch now. Filling in the shoes of Jack Morrison was a big task, but her mueti had done a good job so far. Freja only hoped that she didn’t share the same fate as him.

In the main foyer there were several odd-looking characters, though recently that was not out of the ordinary. It seemed like every day there were more people eager to joining their cause, no matter what walk of life they came from. One of the men gave her a sour look as she passed, his hands clasped on the bow that rested across his lap. Freja couldn’t help but notice the large dragon tattoo that ran down his left arm, especially since his outfit made no attempt to hide it. She couldn’t explain why, but it looked special.

Freja realised that the man sitting beside the one with the bow was actually someone she recognised, and her face lit up. “Jesse!”

The man looked up at her, tilting his cowboy hat up with a crooked smile. He had more facial hair now, and there was lines of age around his eyes, but there was no mistaking it. She ran up to him as he stood and threw her arms around him. “I can’t believe it’s you! Are you coming back to Overwatch?”

Jesse grinned at her. “Figured it was ‘bout time. Heard the others were back too.”

Freja nodded. “A lot of them, yes. Not all, but we have more than enough new recruits to make up for it.”

Jesse gave her a squeeze and turned to the man with the bow. “Hey, archer. Why don’t you introduce yourself?”

The archer looked as if that was the last thing he wanted to do, but he got to his feet and gave a small bow. “Hanzo, of the Shimada clan.”

“Shimada? Like Genji?”

Freja saw the man visibly stiffen at the name, and if possible his expression became even colder.

“No. I do not know that name,” he said after a moment, though Freja had a hard time believing him. He wasn’t exactly a convincing liar. Still, it wasn’t her place to say anything, so she looked back to Jesse.

“We have to go see mueti, will we see you later?” she asked, hopeful to get a chance to catch up with the man who had practically been her uncle growing up.

Jesse cast a glance at Hanzo, but smiled down at Freja. “Of course. Now go see your mom.”

Freja grinned and rushed back to her mother who was waiting for her. Her mother nodded to Jesse, a small smile on her face, and he returned the gesture. It was a gesture of two people who had known each other long ago and weren’t quite sure where they stood with one another anymore. It was a gesture she saw regularly since Overwatch had been recalled. Things had gotten complicated so fast.

Freja’s mother walked faster than she did, but she scurried along beside her, doing her best to keep up without looking like it. She felt a pang of shame when her mother slowed down a little, obviously seeing that she was struggling. It wasn’t surprising that her mother was in a hurry. This was very important.

Despite their relationship, her mother still knocked when they arrived. The gentle voice of her mueti came through the door, telling them to come in. Freja hesitated a little, but her mother ushered her through into the office. It was never entirely clear when she was allowed in here. Freja refused to abuse any privileges she got from being the daughter of the great Mercy and Pharah.

Freja never stopped being impressed by her mueti’s office. An entire wall was windows, looking out over the training yards and the meadows beyond, stretching to a thick forest in the distance. No Overwatch official had a better view. At least not any that she’d met.

Behind the large desk stood her mueti. Her second mother, with her slender body and long pale blonde hair, was the picture of beauty and elegance. Many said that Freja had inherited that from her, but she didn’t see it. Angela Zeigler had done so much good in her life, all the while being so kind and graceful. It felt hubristic for Freja to compare herself to such a person.

Even her other mother, Fareeha Amari, was well known from her days as the Security Chief at Helix Security International. Not to mention the legacy of her grandmother, Ana. As far as Freja was concerned, all she’d inherited was her mother’s dark eyes.

When her mueti saw them enter, the papers in her hands were tossed to her desk and she ran to her other mother.

“Faree! You’re safe! Thank goodness!”

Her mother hugged her back, her face buried slightly in her wife’s neck. Despite how calm she had seemed her mueti had been just as worried about her as Freja was.

“It’s alright, Angela. I’m fine. But… I do not bring the best news,” her mother said, reluctantly drawing back from her wife. She looked at Freja then, though Freja wasn’t sure why. What could she have to do with this?

“I’ll give you your privacy,” Freja said, giving a small bow and turning to go.

“No, this concerns you too, Freja,” her mother said, pointing to one of the chairs at her mueti’s desk.

Freja went and sat, confused but obedient as ever. It wasn’t like her to question orders, let alone from her parents. She didn’t ask questions either, simply waiting patiently for her mothers to tell her what was going on.

Her mueti took a seat in her tall chair on the opposite side of the desk, looking like she fully expected the worst news. Negotiations with Talon had been tense at best, and from the look on her mother’s face, Freja guessed that it hadn’t gone much better this time.

“Talon has, surprisingly, come to an agreement with us. But it’s not without its attached strings.” Her mother leant against the chair next to Freja’s, not sitting. It wasn’t easy in the suit, and she seemed too agitated to try. “Talon will fight the omnics on their own, as will Overwatch, but they’ve agreed to a handful of their people to join with some of Overwatch’s to form a kind of task force. This task force will get to the heart of the problem while the rest of us defend the Earth as best we can.”

Freja was silent, watching as her mueti took in the information. “Who are they sending?” she asked after a moment.

Her mother shrugged. “Unknown. They plan to send them to the HQ in California once they have decided. We are to do the same.” She looked down. “I recommended Freja.”

Both Freja and her mueti were on their feet in an instant. “What?!”

Freja instantly froze, unable to believe that she’d just snapped like that at her mother. Though, the woman looked as though she’d completely expected this response.

“How could you do such a thing, Faree? Freja is not like us! She’s not built for fighting!” Her mueti slid back into her chair, still looking to be in a state of shock. “Talon… how could you want our daughter anywhere near them?!”

“Angela, hear me out. We need someone we can trust completely to represent us on that task force. If we send people to protect her, she will be safe. Please, trust me,” her mother looked at her wife, eyes pleading to her.

Freja’s mueti sighed, looking very reluctant still. “Who could we trust with her life? Most of the original members are already assigned elsewhere.”

“What about Uncle Jesse?” Freja spoke up for the first time, both of her mothers whipping their heads around to look at her.

“McCree is here?” Her mueti looked shocked, looking to Freja’s mother for confirmation.

“He’s downstairs. We saw him on the way in. He has a friend with him too. Genji’s brother.”

Freja’s mueti looked hesitant at that, which made Freja desperate to ask about it. She held it in, but she wanted to know more about him. She’d never met Genji’s brother before, but they were obviously nothing alike. Genji always seemed so peaceful, but Hanzo felt full of rage; like it was taking all of his will to just hold it all in. He didn’t seem like someone Freja would go out of her way to bond with.

“I trust McCree but… isn’t there someone else? Reinhardt, maybe?”

Freja’s mother shook her head. “He’s deployed for another month. We need to make a decision now or an alliance is out the window.”

Freja smiled at her mueti, trying to give her some comfort. In truth, Freja didn’t want to go at all, but she would fulfil her duty no matter what. It was what was right, and that’s what Overwatch stood for. Maybe she could finally prove herself to her parents. “I want to go, mueti. I will make sure that nothing goes wrong. Uncle Jesse will protect me.”

After a moment of deliberation, her mueti nodded. Albeit rather reluctantly. “Alright. If you are confident. Freja, may I speak to your mother alone?”

Freja nodded, standing up instantly. There was a sad weariness in her mueti’s eyes as they watched her. Freja remembered a time when her mueti had been full of life and laughter. The past six months seemed to have drained her of it, leaving her a hollow form of what she’d been before. It wasn’t surprising, considering the world rested on the shoulders of the organisation she led. There was little time for rest when the world was on your shoulders.

Freja had barely closed the door before the yelling started.  They had never fought before all this began. They all knew that this war would divide people, but Freja had never expected it to divide her parents like this. More and more they fought over every decision, varying from bickering to screaming matches. It broke her heart, but she kept her composure as she went back to the elevator.

Freja knew she couldn’t think about this now, she had a mission. As much as she would never admit it in front of her parents, she was the best person for this. The secret that she’d hidden from them for so long would finally come in handy. Until then, she needed to get ready. Something told her that this war had barely begun.


	4. Shadow Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The elite team is brought together to begin their mission

Eve took a sip of her tea as she waited. It would be any second now, she was sure. “Three, two, one…”

On cue, her door burst open and he came storming in, charging straight for her. Eve didn’t move from her chair, continuing to read her book and sip her tea with her feet up as the man approached her.

“What did you do?!” he bellowed, stopping right beside her.

Eve looked up at him with a coy smile. “Nice to see you too.”

“Don’t give me that shit.” Gabriel grabbed her and swung her chair around to face him. “Why did you do it?! What are you planning?!”

Eve stared into the black pits of his mask, knowing his eyes were somewhere beyond. She wished he would take it off more often. Despite the fact that it was falling apart she preferred his face to the mask. Even now, when she knew his face would be twisted in anger, she wanted to see it. She sighed, not looking away from him. “If I told you, it could ruin everything. You’ll just have to trust me.”

There was a long pause as the two stared at one another. Slowly Eve felt the grip on her soften. “I do,” he growled, letting go of her. He turned away from her, as if trying to hide something that his mask couldn’t.

Eve put her bookmark back in her book and set it down, coming up to gently touch his arm. As much as she wanted to comfort him properly, she knew he would never let her. Not anymore. Things between them couldn’t be that way. “I leave in the morning. I can’t imagine you’ll want to come along.”

Gabriel grunted in disdain. Eve knew that the very thought of stepping into an Overwatch building repulsed him. It was something she would never force upon him, but she always felt infinitely safer with him by her side.

He moved away from her, and she let her hand drop. At first she thought he was going to leave, but he stopped by her bench, examining her tools. Eve knew he wasn’t actually interested in them, so she was curious what it was he wanted to say.

“I won’t trust anyone, Gabriel. You know that,” she said, feeling it was what he needed to hear, even if he’d never say it. “And I’ll be careful.”

Gabriel grunted again, saying nothing as he headed for the door. Eve stood there for a time after he’d left, staring blankly at the door. As always, she felt her heart go with him, and prayed for his safety.

***

“Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“Do you require a drink?”

“No!”

“Is something the matter?”

“Genji, if you don’t shut up I’m going to throw you off the plane.”

Delly sat with her arms folded, staring out the plane window and trying to forget the abomination sitting beside her. He had barely left her side in the two months they had been working together, and she was well and truly sick of him. She’d heard stories about these ‘peace and love’ Omnics but she’d never had so much exposure to one. It was exhausting.

“I am concerned, Delly. I only wish to assist you,” Genji said, cocking his head at her in that way he did when he didn’t understand her behaviour; which was often.

“If you want to help then stay quiet,” Delly snapped back at him.

Genji didn’t appear fazed by her attitude, but then again it was hard to tell when he had that mask on. No matter what kind of abuse Delly had thrown at him it never seemed to shake him. He just looked at her with that confused tilt of his head.

“As you wish, Delly,” Genji said after a moment, sitting silently in his chair.

He seemed oddly unaware of the looks he was getting from the other people on the plane. That or he was simply used to it. Being what he was, he must be used to strange looks. Delly had double and then triple checked that he wasn’t actually an Omnic. Apparently he was a cyborg, mostly robotic but still had human parts underneath. She’d never seen anything like him, even in all her work. No one ever dared to take on that much robotics, lest they become too close to being an Omnic. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to be that way, and she didn’t want to find out. As far as she was concerned, Genji was as good as an Omnic.

Once they were off the plane, Morrison was there to greet them once again. He smirked when he saw them. “Fun trip?”

Delly shot an icy glare at him. “Shut up, Morrison,” she said, shoving her bag at him.

He fumbled it, but managed to get a grip on it, still grinning. Genji bobbed his head to Morrison, but followed dutifully after Delly as she stormed towards the doors. She hadn’t been back to California since they’d left on their trip, but the weather hadn’t changed one bit. The wave of heat made her instantly slow down, allowing Genji to stroll up beside her.

“You do not like the heat, Delly?” he asked her gently.

Despite his soft tone, Delly felt a pang of disdain. “No. No I don’t. How observant you are.”

To her surprise, Genji chuckled. She was about to ask what was so funny as Morrison caught up to them. “Car’s over there. Ana will be happy to see you two.”

The three made their way to the black sedan and Delly found herself stuck in between the two men in the back seat. It was a spacious back seat so she wasn’t crushed, but it still wasn’t a position she wanted to be in. She tried to ignore Genji’s solid thigh as it brushed hers, and instead turned to Morrison.

“So, are you going to tell us what this is all about? Why we had to rush all the way back here?” she asked.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t really want to tell you while we’re in an enclosed space,” Morrison said, smirking at Delly.

Delly grunted in annoyance, hearing Genji chuckle softly on her other side. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Morrison said nothing, just shuffling away from her slightly with a grin. Delly gave up on the idea of getting anything out of him, folding her arms and scowling as she sank into the seat. “Shut up, robot boy,” she muttered, hearing Genji still chuckling.

“Apologies, Delly. It was not my intention to further your anger,” Genji said. “The view is lovely, if you wish to see.”

“No thanks…” Delly had wanted the window seat, but there was no way she was admitting that to him. He was already irritatingly nice to her; she didn’t need his seat on top of that.

“Good to see she hasn’t changed at all,” Morrison said with a smirk. He’d been in charge of supervising her training for the week she’d been at California HQ before she and Genji had been shipped off. It had taken that long to convince her to work alongside Genji. A pay-rise had been involved in getting her to even consider it.

The California HQ was far busier than it had been last time she was here. There were many new recruits around in their black and white Overwatch uniforms, as well as a few older looking faces. There was a man dressed as a cowboy, which she thought was exceptionally odd, with a stoic Asian man to his right and a girl no older than Delly with long blonde hair to his left. The girl looked familiar, but Delly couldn’t pick where from.

Nearby there was another group of people dressed in dark clothes. One of them was a woman, small in stature but fierce in expression. Even if she was small, Delly could tell that this wasn’t someone to mess with. The woman’s eyes flicked to Delly and she quickly looked away, cursing herself silently. It wasn’t like she should be afraid of someone she hadn’t even met. Still, there was something off about her.

“Who are these people?” Delly quietly asked, hoping they couldn’t hear her.

“The cowboy is Jesse McCree. I don’t know the archer. But the girl is Freja Zeigler, daughter of Angela Zeigler, aka Mercy,” Morrison told her. “The suspicious looking bunch are from Talon. The terrifying looking woman is Eve. I don’t know her full name, but I know she has history with Overwatch.”

“A history that’s none of your business,” Eve said, not looking at them as she spoke.

Delly and Morrison both jumped a little as she spoke, but Genji didn’t move. He sat beside Delly, still as a statue. Delly felt a shiver run down her spine as Eve’s head snapped to glare at them. She looked Delly up and down before looking away again. Delly suddenly felt exposed, like the woman had seen every nasty secret she kept inside.

Delly was thankful when the door opened and Ana entered, flanked by two Overwatch officials. She looked around at the group, not seemingly bothered at all by the presence of Talon operatives. “Evelynne,” she said, making Eve frown. “It’s been a long time. You look good.”

Eve’s expression soured further as she spoke. “Don’t act like we’re friends, Ana. Let’s just get this over with.”

Ana didn’t seem fazed, shrugging it off and looking to Delly. “Delilah, good to see you well.”

“And you, Ana,” Delly felt Morrison elbow her, “I mean, Captain Amari.”

Ana chuckled before she went right to Freja and trapped her in a tight hug. “Hello, my dear.”

“Hello grandma. Are you well?” Freja said, making Delly roll her eyes with the amount of politeness the girl put into her tone.

“Just Ana, darling, I’ve told you before,” Ana said with a chuckle. “Grandma makes me feel old. And I am quite well, thank you. How are your mothers?”

Delly saw the moment of hesitation. It was brief, but she’d studied long enough to notice such a thing. “They’re great!” Freja said, though it was forced. “They can’t wait to visit.”

“Is it just me or does that girl sound like she’s lying?” Delly muttered to herself. She saw Genji look at her for a moment, before staring ahead once again.

“She feels like she must act a certain way because of her parents,” Genji said softly. “One day, it is my hope that she will find peace with who she is.”

Delly raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. His words made sense this time, at least, though she seriously considered keeping a tally of the amount of times Genji used the word ‘peace’.

“Please, if I could ask you all into the conference room so we could speak.” Ana let go of her granddaughter, addressing all of those present.

The group was escorted to a large room with a large white oblong-shaped table in the centre. Each of them took a seat, Delly hesitating before taking a seat next to Eve. Genji sat at her other side, as usual, but that didn’t make her feel any more comfortable about sitting next to Eve. It wasn’t surprising that the seat on the other side of Eve was also empty.

Ana sat in the tall chair at the end of the table, looking around at those present. Her granddaughter sat on one side of her, with the cowboy and the archer on the other side. “As you all know, our organisations Overwatch and Talon recently had peace talks. It was a… trying discussion, but a compromise was found that suits both parties. We are to form a small but elite team to seek out the heart of this Omnic crisis and neutralise it. It will be comprised of members of both Overwatch and talon.”

Delly was curious then why she was invited here. It wasn’t like she was elite at all. She wasn’t defenceless, but she was hardly a warrior. Perhaps they just wanted Genji back for this. Maybe she could finally be free of him.

“All of you have either been chosen for your talents, or volunteered for the job by yourselves or your organisation,” Ana continued. “Either way, all those present here, excluding myself, will be a part of this elite squad. Shadow team, it has been dubbed.”

Delly heard Eve chuckle under her breath and mutter something to herself. She didn’t catch what it was, but it didn’t sound like English. Although she could hardly focus on what Eve was doing when she was in so much shock. How could someone like her be chosen for such a thing? Delly went to say something, but put up her hand first. She had to at least try to be formal.

Ana nodded, telling Delly that she could speak. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful for the opportunity, but I don’t understand my part in this.”

Delly could feel all the eyes in the room on her, including the icy stare of Eve. She tried not to let it faze her, keeping her gaze on Ana.

“You are the utmost expert in your field, and many of the members of this team will require your assistance with their robotics. You will also receive some extra medical training before you leave,” Ana explained.

“Leave? We have a destination?” Eve piped up, leaning on the table curiously.

“The most Omnic rebellions have been happening throughout Germany. You will be headed to a war-zone, so be prepared. An old friend of mine will meet you there. He will take care of you,” Ana said. Delly didn’t miss the small affectionate smile she had when she talked about her old friend.

There was concerned silence around the room after Ana mentioned Germany. Delly had heard news reports of the chaos there. Omnics that had never shown any signs of aggression were suddenly turning around and killing anything in sight. It was horrific, and Delly wasn’t looking forward to being a part of it.

Ana looked like she was about to speak, when she was cut off by a gunshot outside the door, followed by another. They all turned as the door burst open, and a man wearing all black with a white mask stormed in. For a moment Delly thought she saw black smoke drifting off of his legs, but figured she must have imagined it.

The man threw himself down into the seat next to Eve, folding his arms. Everyone stared at him in shock; even Eve looked surprised to see the man.

“Reaper!” Ana cried in alarm, getting to her feet.

“What?” Reaper grumbled in a deep husky voice. He glanced at the door, and Delly could hear people rushing about and calling for help. “He’ll live.”

Ana sighed heavily, sitting back down in her chair. “Any other questions?” she said, obviously eager to get this over with. Delly wondered who this Reaper guy was that he could get away with such things.

As one of the Talon members asked a question, Delly saw the smallest smile on Eve’s face as she looked down at her hands, twining her fingers together in her lap.


	5. The German Giant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow team land in war-torn Germany, and meets up with an old friend

The shuttle jolted, making Delly stumble. Immediately after, the shuttle lurched again.Delly tried to get her footing and slipped on the metal floor, toppling sideways. Before she could hit the floor she felt a pair of solid arms around her, holding her steady.

 

“Delly. Please hold on to something.”

 

Genji’s voice spoke gently in her ear, sending a shiver through her body. He wasn’t holding on to any of the poles or handles, as the others were, but seemed to have perfect balance even whilst holding on to Delly. He slowly righted her, his hand guiding hers to one of the poles nearby. For a moment Delly stood in stunned silence, aware of Genji’s hand on her other arm. As she came back to her senses she shook her hand from his arm and stepped away, not looking at or thanking him. Genji paused but said nothing, resuming his previous stance.

 

Delly became aware of Eve watching them from her seat across the shuttle. Reaper sat beside her, arms crossed and looking like he didn’t want to be there. Delly didn’t have to see his face, he practically radiated disdain. She didn’t fail to notice, however, that he stuck by Eve the entire way; it was as if he were watching over her. There was another jolt and Delly’s grip on the pole tightened, steadying herself. Neither Eve nor Reaper seemed to react at all, Eve’s gaze having turned to a screen next to her.

 

“Casi estámos allí,” she muttered to Reaper.  Delly had no idea what that meant, but Reaper nodded, understanding. Eve saw Delly looking at her. “We’re almost there. Your Omnic pal better get ready. It’s not pretty out there.” Eve smirked. “Try not to lose your head.”

 

“You know what I am, Eve,” Genji said patiently, making Eve scowl. “I will guard Delly with my life, as I have sworn to do.”

 

Delly looked at Genji for a moment, but forced her gaze elsewhere. Freja was at the back of the shuttle looking rather green, like she was doing her very best not to be sick. Delly could hardly blame her; the ride hadn’t exactly been smooth. The shuttle jolted again and Freja’s knuckles whitened as she gripped onto her seat. The cowboy beside her - “McCree” she’d been told to call him - put an arm around her and pulled her against him with a small smile. Freja relaxed a little, but kept her iron grip on the seat.

The archer - “Hanzo”, apparently - sat on the other side of McCree, his gaze like daggers of ice as he glared at Genji. Genji either didn’t notice or didn’t care, as he seemed unfazed. The two obviously had a history, and whilst Delly was curious, she didn’t care enough to ask.

 

“ _Everyone, get ready. We’re coming in hot._ ” The pilot’s voice came over the intercom, and the others instantly began to move.

 

Eve fiddled with her armoured gloves and pulled out one of the pistols she had strapped to her leg. When she opened the canister the ammo appeared to be purple pills; Delly had never seen a weapon like it. Reaper pulled a pair of shotguns from his cloak and stood beside her. The two of them nearly matched in their fierce looking black armour. Delly pulled her weapon out of her bag, covering the backs of her hands with the two metal plates. She pressed a button on them and winced as they attached themselves to her nervous system.

 

After flexing her fingers to make sure it had worked properly, she saw Genji motion for her. Curious, she came over to him, and he drew close to her.

 

“Stay close to me. No matter what happens. Do you understand?” Genji murmured to her, sounding more worried than she’d ever heard him. Only then did it really hit her that she could die here if she wasn’t careful. She had no choice but to trust Genji. Delly bit her lip and nodded.

 

The shuttle flew close to the ground and come to a stop, still hovering a few feet from the ground as the doors slid open. Delly’s ears were instantly bombarded with the sound of gunfire and ripping metal, and she clapped her hands over them instinctively. Eve and Reaper leapt from the shuttle, landing gracefully and rushing to cover. They were quickly followed by the three Talon operatives who had been sent along.

They had landed in the wreckage of what had once been a town, but now it was just rubble and flames. Delly felt herself tense all over as she saw Omnics climbing over the rubble and heading towards them. They barely looked like Omnics now, with parts of them falling off and bright red lights glowing where their eyes would be. They’d been torn apart but still managed to move; like they were driven by a primal instinct they couldn’t possibly possess.

 

Delly was frozen in fear, completely unable to move. Freja and her two companions dismounted after Eve and Reaper, but Genji stayed beside Delly.

Hanzo sent an arrow whizzing into the forehead of one of the Omnics, making it crumple to the ground. McCree took out the one that was climbing over the first one’s corpse, guiding Freja behind cover.

Bullets clanged loudly into the side of the shuttle, making Delly yelp and cling tighter to the door.

“I need to get clear! It’s now or never!” the pilot yelled.

 

“Delly…” Genji spoke gently to her, trying to get her to look at him. He didn’t pressure her, he just put an encouraging arm around her. “You can do this.”

 

Delly looked at him. It was almost like she could feel his gaze through the mask, soothing her. Slowly she let go of the shuffle and held onto his arm, nodding. Delly looked down at the ground, taking a deep breath before she jumped. The change was as sudden as diving into icy water; every molecule of her body screamed that she was no longer safe.

Her feet hit the ground and she felt the wind rush from her lungs. Coughing, she curled forwards, the world spinning around her. She didn’t fall, however, feeling herself being guided upright by Genji. He murmured something to her, but it was drowned out by gunfire.

 

“Get down! God dammit!”

 

That was Eve’s voice, Delly realised, and the world reasserted itself as she was guided to cover. The shuttle door closed within moment of them disembarking, the aircraft taking off as quickly as possible and leaving the group on their own amidst the battleground.

 

“Where is our escort?” Eve yelled, glaring at McCree as if it were entirely his fault.

 

“Shouldn’t be long,” McCree said, ducking as a bullet whizzed over his head. He was looking around, as if he wasn’t sure. This didn’t give Delly a lot of confidence, and she drew closer to Genji. For now she set aside her prejudices in favour of preserving her life.

 

More and more Omnics approached as they waited, Delly cowering as her companions took them out. Eve reached out of cover and shot an Omnic, the bullet exploding into billions of dark purple particles that swirled around the Omnic, slowly eating away at it. Its movement slowed as bits of metal started falling off of it, until it finally collapsed against the tipped car that Eve was hiding behind. It was only then that Delly noticed Reaper was gone. A swirl of black smoke swept its way between the Omnics, before materialising as Reaper. The mysterious man swung around with his shotguns and took the heads off of two of them before they could even register he was there. He fired a few more shots before disappearing back into smoke again.

Freja stayed in hiding, like Delly, as McCree and Hanzo occasionally popped up to fire a shot at an Omnic. Despite all their efforts, the Omnics were still gaining on them, their numbers growing faster than the warriors could take them out.

 

Genji sliced an Omnic in half as it reached for Delly, his other arm outstretched protectively. “There are too many, we need to--”

 

Out of nowhere a massive man in a suit of armour leapt over a large pile of rubble, brandishing an equally massive hammer that he slammed down onto a pair of Omnics. He cried out in what sounded like glee as he swung his hammer and swatted away another four.

 

Delly’s jaw dropped as she watched him, realising that he was actually _laughing_ as he beat back the Omnics with ease. “I AM UNSTOPPABLE!!” the massive man cried, beating away the Omnics near Genji and Delly.

 

Delly looked at Genji as he visibly relaxed, seeming to chuckle. Though, it was hard to hear over the sound of smashing Omnics. McCree was grinning as well, leaning back against the overturned car he’d been hiding behind. Eve was the only one who didn’t seem at all pleased to see the large man, rolling her eyes at his antics. She discounted Reaper, as it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. He shot another two Omnics and turned into smoke again, reappearing beside Eve.

 

The Omnics began to retreat, clambering back over the rubble and disappearing into the war-torn town. The giant man turned to look at them, his face masked by a large helmet with long spikes protruding up from the front. Delly didn’t have to see his face to know the man was probably grinning. He just radiated a kind of enthusiasm that she had only ever seen in children. Coupled with his enormous size, this man was quite the wonder.

 

“Took you long enough,” McCree said, grinning as he hoisted himself to his feet.

 

“Ah, Jesse! You’re getting old, my friend! Perhaps you should retire! Hahaha!” The giant man cried in a thick German accent, booming with laughter at his own joke.

 

Delly realised that this must be their escort, and she relaxed a little. It wasn’t until then that she realised she’d been holding onto Genji, and she quickly let go. Genji didn’t react, looking up at the giant man.

 

“Reinhardt. It is good to see you,” Genji said, bowing respectfully to the man.

 

“Genji! You are looking robotic as ever!” Reinhardt laughed and clapped Genji on the back. His gaze landed on Eve and his face lit up. Her expression on the other hand became one of dread. “EVELYNNE!”

 

“Don’t you dare.”

 

“COME HERE, OLD FRIEND!”

 

“Reinhardt i swear to God if you--”

 

Eve was cut off as her tiny frame was swooped up in a giant hug, lifting her up off the ground looking very disgruntled.

 

“We thought you were dead!” Reinhardt boomed, squeezing her.

 

“Ugh! I will be if you keep squeezing me, you oaf!” Eve snapped back, trying to wriggle free. “Put me down!”

 

Delly watched the pair, baffled. She never expected to see anyone treat Eve with such little fear. Reaper was the only one who didn’t give her a wide berth, but the two weren’t exactly chummy. Reinhardt on the other hand acted like they were old friends; even if Eve didn’t seem to share the sentiment.

 

“Reinhardt. I need to get Delly to safety,” Genji said, not leaving Delly’s side as he spoke.

 

Delly looked at him. It wasn’t as though she was surprised, considering he’d had the same attitude the entire time she’d known him, but it was odd to find herself as someone’s immediate priority.

Reinhardt nodded, putting Eve back down. Eve straightened up her clothes but didn’t move to harm Reinhardt, just slinking back over to Reaper.

Reinhardt glanced from Genji to Delly and then back. “Of course. Come, we have a base nearby.”

 

Reinhardt started off through the destroyed town, followed closely by McCree and Freja, then by Hanzo. The Talon operatives hesitated, but followed once Eve and Reaper started to move.

 

Delly felt the smooth metal of Genji’s hand on her arm. “We should go, Delly. Stay with me.”

 

Delly looked at him. “Right,” was all she said, but in that moment she almost wanted to thank him; even if she wasn’t sure why. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to, and she walked silently by his side.


End file.
